In packaging of containers having closures thereon, it has been common to provide tamper indicating packages wherein the tamper indicating band is connected to the closure along a weakened line provided by a plurality of bridges or a scoreline and interengaging means between the band and the container are such that when the closure is unthreaded from the container, the band is severed along the bridge portions to indicate that the closure has been tampered with.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,918 issued to Jean Gressen on Jul. 26, 1983, a threaded closure carries a hold ring that is joined to the bottom of the cap skirt by a series of breakable tabs and the hold ring has an inside diameter that is at least equal to the outside diameter of the cap skirt. A plurality of lock lugs supported on the ring are inclined upwardly and inwardly and are intended to hook behind a collar or mating ring on the container neck to prevent the hold ring from being lifted off the container neck when the cap is unscrewed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,844, having a common assignee with the present application, there is disclosed and claimed an arrangement wherein a continuous annular flange extends from the lower end of the tamper indicating band and is inclined upwardly and inwardly. Such an arrangement is effective but has the disadvantage in that continuous flange requires excessive force to apply the closure to the container in certain extreme tolerance conditions.
In an effort to reduce the force required to apply the closure, it has heretofore been suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,657 that the free edge of the continuous annular flange be provided with a plurality of segments to facilitate application of the closure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,771 proposes the use of a plurality of spaced-apart ring segments on the tamper indicating band to define independently foldable ring segments and a plurality of resilient tabs connected to each end of each ring segment so that the free ends of the tabs bear on the bead or ledge of the container.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,788, having a common assignee with the present application, there is disclosed a tamper indicating package comprising a container having a neck with a threaded finish, an annular bead on the neck, a plastic closure which includes a base wall and a depending peripheral skirt having threads interengaging the threads of the container, and a tamper indicating band attached to the skirt by a plurality of weakened portions defining a line of severing. An annular flange extends axially upwardly and inwardly from the tamper indicating band toward the base wall of the closure and comprises a first continuous annular flange portion connected to the band by a hinge portion and a second portion which has free ends of the segment portions engaging beneath the bead on the container when the closure is threaded onto the container. In one form, the second portion comprises a plurality of segment portions extending upwardly and inwardly from the first continuous portion. In another form, the second portion comprises a second continuous flange portion. The flange is bent intermediate its ends so that the second portion extends inwardly at a greater angle than the first continuous flange portion.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide an improved tamper indicating closure which is constructed and arranged to be easily applied to a container and function effectively in allowing the tamper band to separate from the closure during removal, and thus further inhibit tampering.
In accordance with the invention, the tamper indicating package comprising a container having a neck with a threaded finish, an annular bead on the neck below the threads, a plastic closure which includes a base wall and a depending peripheral skirt having threads interengaging the threads of the container, and a tamper indicating band attached to the skirt by a plurality of weakened portions defining a line of severing. An annular flange extends axially upwardly and inwardly from the tamper indicating band toward the base wall of the closure and comprises a first continuous annular flange portion connected to the band by a hinge portion and a second portion. The second portion comprises a plurality of segment portions extending upwardly and inwardly from the first continuous portion. The flange is bent intermediate its ends so that the second portion extends inwardly at a greater angle than the first continuous flange portion. The segment portions are separated by narrow slits such that when the closure is fully applied on a container, and the closure is rotated to remove the closure, the free ends of the adjacent segment portion engage a bead on the container and are moved radially inwardly and the sides of the slits adjacent the free ends contact one another in an interfering manner. This contact between the adjacent free ends of the segments strengthens the flange so that it is more difficult to invert the flange to its molded condition which would allow removal of the closure without severing the tamper band. The slits between the segments allow for easier application of the closure to a container finish than a closure with a continuous flange, by not having the high tensile stress induced in the continuous flange as it is stretched over the container bead. However, the slits become closed at the free ends during closure removal, and act much like a continuous flange. That is, it is difficult to invert the segment portions that define the flange as the closure is being removed because of the added compressive force generated because the free ends are contacting each other. This additional force enhances resistance to removal and makes it more likely that the band will sever along the weakened line rather than become inverted. This also inhibits tampering.